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Corkscrew
What would you do if one of your closest friends was murdered and the list of suspects looks like your personal address book? This is the dilemma facing Harry Ransom and his beautiful lady friend Eleanor Tyler as they attempt to identify the killer. Along the way they are in constant danger as the trail leads them across the country and eventually to France.
Thirty-seven year-old Harry Ransom had led the comfortable, idyllic life of the privileged class. Retiring at age thirty-five to travel the world and collect fine wines, Harry’s life had been peaceful and uneventful, except for the untimely death of his wife fifteen years before. This bucolic existence was shattered when a close friend dies of an apparent heart attack a dinner party where most of Harry’s best friends were present. Also in attendance was Charlie’s cousin, Eleanor Tyler. In the decade since Harry had seen her, she had transformed, phoenix-like, from a mousy, insecure and dowdy housewife into someone scintillating and sexy.
Shortly thereafter evidence comes to light that the death might not have been from natural causes. Vowing to find the killer and set things right, Harry, with Eleanor at his side, follows the trail from Cape Cod to Napa Valley and back again and then on to France where the truth comes to light.
Thirty-seven year-old Harry Ransom had led the comfortable, idyllic life of the privileged class. Retiring at age thirty-five to travel the world and collect fine wines, Harry’s life had been peaceful and uneventful, except for the untimely death of his wife fifteen years before. This bucolic existence was shattered when a close friend dies of an apparent heart attack a dinner party where most of Harry’s best friends were present. Also in attendance was Charlie’s cousin, Eleanor Tyler. In the decade since Harry had seen her, she had transformed, phoenix-like, from a mousy, insecure and dowdy housewife into someone scintillating and sexy.
Shortly thereafter evidence comes to light that the death might not have been from natural causes. Vowing to find the killer and set things right, Harry, with Eleanor at his side, follows the trail from Cape Cod to Napa Valley and back again and then on to France where the truth comes to light.
211 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 24, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
April 19, 2015
I have received a soft copy of this book from the author for a free unbiased review.
Corkscrew, by Richard Knight Armstrong, is the twisted tale of a super rich widower Harry Ransom, who lives to drink and collect fine wines. Then his close friend Charlie hosts a drink-dinner party and dies of an apparent heart attack with most of their best friends present. When suspicions arise that Charlie may have been killed (thriller part), Harry rushes around with Charlie’s hot cousin, the divorcee Eleanor Tyler (romance). Everybody is a suspect, but obviously Harry is not the culprit (since he is the narrator). Naturally the culprit is found in the end and all ends well.
The plot is twisted and convoluted like a corkscrew and everybody is continuously drinking various alcohols and driving cars. But there is no drunk driving, no hangovers, and no breathalysers.
Punctuation and spellings are letdowns. "Your" instead of "you're", missing and reversed apostrophes, quotation marks missing, "palette" instead of "palate", and odd sentences, e.g. "I took her in my arms and kissed her a long lingering kiss."
Corkscrew, by Richard Knight Armstrong, is the twisted tale of a super rich widower Harry Ransom, who lives to drink and collect fine wines. Then his close friend Charlie hosts a drink-dinner party and dies of an apparent heart attack with most of their best friends present. When suspicions arise that Charlie may have been killed (thriller part), Harry rushes around with Charlie’s hot cousin, the divorcee Eleanor Tyler (romance). Everybody is a suspect, but obviously Harry is not the culprit (since he is the narrator). Naturally the culprit is found in the end and all ends well.
The plot is twisted and convoluted like a corkscrew and everybody is continuously drinking various alcohols and driving cars. But there is no drunk driving, no hangovers, and no breathalysers.
Punctuation and spellings are letdowns. "Your" instead of "you're", missing and reversed apostrophes, quotation marks missing, "palette" instead of "palate", and odd sentences, e.g. "I took her in my arms and kissed her a long lingering kiss."
April 23, 2015
I got this book free from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Overall it was an entertaining book.
The events after the murder made sense until the narrator and his girlfriend arrived in France. They stayed in the same hotel as he always stayed and - coincidence - a friend of his from Interpol also arrived at this hotel and - more coincidence - they both investigate in the winemaker milieu.
Another fact that irritated me is the choice of names. In the book we had Maggie and Maddie and then Jim (lawyer) and Jim (hotel manager). Why using the same or similar names in one book?
Nevertheless I enjoyed it and give strong 4 stars.
Overall it was an entertaining book.
The events after the murder made sense until the narrator and his girlfriend arrived in France. They stayed in the same hotel as he always stayed and - coincidence - a friend of his from Interpol also arrived at this hotel and - more coincidence - they both investigate in the winemaker milieu.
Another fact that irritated me is the choice of names. In the book we had Maggie and Maddie and then Jim (lawyer) and Jim (hotel manager). Why using the same or similar names in one book?
Nevertheless I enjoyed it and give strong 4 stars.
April 25, 2015
*R4R*
I liked the book but i didn't give 4 stars is because i felt it was slow paced.
Harry Ransom and Eleanor Tyler find their common and close friend charlie dead in the party charlie hosts.Though it seemed natural at first, later with the events happening it looked more and more as murder.Although the evidence points to natural cause.
To avenge the murder of their friend harry and eleanor start following clues.Once they start following clues, trouble follows them to stop them before they find the killer.
Though not fast paced it was an interesting read.
I liked the book but i didn't give 4 stars is because i felt it was slow paced.
Harry Ransom and Eleanor Tyler find their common and close friend charlie dead in the party charlie hosts.Though it seemed natural at first, later with the events happening it looked more and more as murder.Although the evidence points to natural cause.
To avenge the murder of their friend harry and eleanor start following clues.Once they start following clues, trouble follows them to stop them before they find the killer.
Though not fast paced it was an interesting read.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews